Severable aircraft



Oct. 6, 1953 R. J. SCHMID SEVERABLE AIRCRAFT 3 SheetsSheet 1 Filed March '7, 1949 INVENTOR. Ray J 50/")?! Attorney Oct 6, 1953 R. J. SCHMID 2,654,320

SEVERABLE AIRCRAFT Filed March '7, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi .6 my? 4/ 26 1 J J J J 1 \j 8 f 2/ l9 0 INVENTOR. J Roy J Selim/d Attorney Oct. 6, 1953 R J sc 2,654,320

SEVERABLE AIRCRAFT Filed March '7, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheei 5 I INVENTOR. k Ray J .Sclrmid Attorney Patented Oct. 6, 1953 .SEVERABLE AIRCRAFT :RoyJ-r; Schmid, Canon. Cooke, Calif.

-Application'March 7,4949, Serial No. 80,053

:11 ,Glaimsv (Granted unjd erj,'1 itle 35, 17. S. Gode (1952 ,sec. 266) s ernrfir the-d sc nt bein checked. lay-means .,of a .helicgpter propeller.

.I .-.-i -.-.an o ject. of this .inv n i r t pr vid sraf whiohrma be b o n wo :onzsun red. adorin .i a transit- ,More1specifiQa11y it-isqanoblectof thisin wh1ch'1stlrus allowedto drop gently to earth.

eventio t r-Prov de:aniaireraftpsucmas;a:rocket, with ans fo rseverm the :bow portion .and ia l w n it t drop. l vnyitoa earth-1 while the;b0dy =p r-sten ortiol ofrthecraf zisdiscarded: to plum- :lmetd wnw d free y.

eanother objectofzthis-invention to-provide reraf with ran iaux-iliary set of ehe'licopter propellers. oh1all0w tille -aircraft .to drop :slow- .H fter itrhas arrived at-a predetermined fist-another. object: of this inventionto proetlde an.;aircraft, onrocket, which will: haveprorhllls on means: for; shooting it 1 into the air, 1 and ;a;helicopter propeller forlallowing:theaircraft to fl iQps gentlyzto:earth;.the.=.action.-ofthe: propeller :heinezto cheek-the descent -0f' thedr.0p. ,It.;;is; another object: of ithis invention to proivideze p qsiveqmeans for. severing :an aircraft in whereby the rtwo separate'drportions may ..go;theinindividualmays1.afterrbeingtsundered.

1. 316 qbjectsiandimanyr of:.the attendantnad- -Yfi ta esr,Mat invfi i m a-willghe;readily;apprerciated a ,bh is mfibe qmes ,hetterunderstoodrby ref-erence--;tothe, following description. -;In-,accordance:with,the instant oinventionythe aire .-aft,- is;con posed of a stern portion ;and.,-.a how, portion detachabl-y secured together. Eropuision meansh preferably jet :prop.ulsi0n; means, .esuch as, arocket motor,-.are-.mounted in thestern 5 portion {or propelling the aircraft ithrough fthe air. A propeller is rotatably mounted at the nose of .the. bow i portion, the :b-lades of ithe propeller .beingzretractable into, or againstthe bodyof the bow portion, and being movable outwardly =into pperative position from the bow portion as the latt er drops stermdown. It ispreferredto achieve .retractability :oi .the blades by -making them foldable; into --elongate recesses on .thesides of "the 19Q ,W;pOIiOIl.0f the aircraft. ,A -motor, preferably of the prop turbine type, is mounted in the bow portion, the shaft of the the motor beingoonnected to .the .propellertolrotatedt in '-ne1icopter fashion.

Explosivemeans are disposed at the juncture of the two portions, so that when the .explosive means is'detonated, .theitwo portionsrare sun- =dered; T the stern; portion is allowed. to l, plummet to earth at will, 'whiletheibow portion,1.-being heavier at its stern, .pivots so ,thatits .stern points downward. Simultaneously withthesundering of the aircraft, v,thepropeller .motor is started; so that the propeller blades, :WhiCh are mounted so as to ,be thrown outwardly. into op- 'erative-positionby the explosion, begin .to.ro-

tate and 'check -the-descent of the; ,bow portion,

In order to counteract the tendency. of thelbow y-portion to rotate, idHG'tO, the-rotation. of, the pro- -pel1er, stabilizin fins. are *fol'd'ably mounted ,on thesides of'the'bowportiomand are hin ed outwardly with the sundering .of the bodyiintoop- -erative position where they" tend"to' prevent the body from irotating. {In addition, the exhaust from the prop' *turbine'motor is directed through the-stern of .the "bow-portion downwardly and -tangentially,so--thatits thrust not. only aidslthe ;propeller :in checking the descent of the .bow ;portion,-but"thetangential component is directed -so as tocounteract the torque'caused by the propeller, thereby .maintaining the "body substangotiallyistable asit drops to earth.

'In 'thenormal ,fiight of the complete aircraft,

the bladesof the propellerlare.maintainedin inoperative position-folded at the sides of -thehow portion, by .suitablesecuring means, which means is released, or jfractured'by .the explosion. ".The

explosion ,goes even farther .and tends ;.to throw the ,propeller L blades outward .into I operative .po-

.sition. As .the pro.pel-ler blades unfold .fully to .-.a -positionnormal .with the bow .portion, suitable 40 .latch ,means .lock them in extended position.

The .dropping of .the bow portion..-stern.olown also .tends -t0.-,.maintain =the .propel-lerlbladesout- -.ward. of the :body.

The :explosive -,means .-for sundering' the {air- -;craf-t.at -.the juncture-70f the bow and stern porztions ,preferably .assumes the :form 1 of :a apair of abutting rings secured-together --by a ;plurality tofzrivets .or; pins. Qne ringfis mounted in ach of the portions. ,An annular groove :is provided .in one,rin-g-;vzhich isrfilled with explosivesuch-las powder. Whenthe powderrisdetonated;thepins are fractured, zthrowing 'the two portions ,apart. .The juncture-between thetwo portions Oil 11 162211?- scraft .is preierably -;dis.p osed obliguely :with re- 55 spect to the axis of the craft, so that the explosion tends to throw the two portions laterally apart from each other, and thereby pushes the stern of the bow portion downward, which position it continues to assume as it drops to earth.

In accordance with the general description of the instant invention set forth immediately above, there will now be described a particular embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view, partially crosssectioned to show the interior of the aircraft;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the oblique juncture between the two portions of the aircraft, as shown by the arrows 22 in Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 22 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3, showing the juncture of the two bodies immediately after the sundering ex plosion;

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the interrelating connection between the parts of the aircraft;

v Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section at the nose of I the bow portion of the aircraft showing a propeller blade in recessed position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a propeller blade unfolded outwardly and latched in operative position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on line 8-8 in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective View illustrating the sundering action of the explosive charge placed at the junction of the two portions of the aircraft;

Fig. 10, is a view showing the bow portion of the aircraft dropping to earth with the descent being checked by the rotation of the helicopter propeller; and

Fig. 11 is an under or stern view of the bow portion taken along line in Fig. 10.

Referring to Fig. 1, the severable aircraft is shown comprising a stern portion I5 and a bow portion l6 detachably secured together at a juncture ll disposed in a plane oblique to the axis of the aircraft. The aircraft is provided with jet propulsion means such as a rocket motor i8 mounted in the stern portion l5, which serves to propel the complete craft through the air.

Another motor l9, preferably of the prop turbine type, is mounted in the bow portion It. The shaft 26 spanning a yoke 4| secured to the hub 20 within a recess 21 formed at the rear of the hub. An elongate indentation or recess 28 is provided in the aircraft body for each propeller blade 24,

so that as the propeller blades 24 are folded fiat against the sides, they enter into the recesses and 'form a flush, streamlined surface.

During the initial stage of flight, the propeller blades 24 are folded or retracted to inoperative position as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. At a predetermined time in the flight of the craft, the bow portion I6 is sundered from the stern portion l5,

and the propeller blades 24 are projected forwardly into operative position, where they are rotated by the motor I9 in helico ter fashion to check the descent of the bow portion, which, after severance, has swung stern down, by virtue of having its center of gravity located near its stern. The propeller 28 thus checks the descent of the severed bow.

The sundering means is shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and consists of a pair of abutting rings 3| and 32, disposed obliquely with respect to the axis of the craft, and secured to the respective abutting portions of the stern and bow portions l5 and I6, respectively. The two rings, 3| and 32, are in turn secured together, thus uniting the portions l5 and It, by a plurality of rivets or pins 33, extending through the two rings and spaced around the entire length thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. One of the rings, 3| for example, is

. provided with a groove therearound adjacent the other ring, thus forming an annular cavity 34 which is filled with explosive material such as powder 36.

' rings 3| and 32 are blown apart, as shown in Fig. 4, fracturing the securing pins 33, and sundering the two portions l5 and I6 ofthe aircraft. As best seen in Fig. 4, the oblique disposition of the juncture ll, consisting of the rings 3| and 32, results in the explosion forcing the stem end of the bow portion l6 downward, thereby accelerating its assumption of the stern-down dropping position, which it is to assume as it descends to earth, as shown in Fig. 9. The explosion also tends to tip the forward end of the stern portion slightly upward, so that it more readily clears the sundered bow portion, and does not interfere with proper operation of the apparatus.

It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the tip end of each propeller blade 24, when retracted, extends slightly behind the juncture l1, so as to overlap partially the stern portion [5 of the aircraft.

This necessitates an extension of the groove or recess 28 into the stern portion, as shown at 38 in Fig. 2. It also makes possible the temporary securing of the tips of the propeller blades 24 to the sides of the aircraft, by means of fracturable welds or pins 39, connecting the tip of the blade 24 to the front end of the stern portion I5. With the explosive separation of the two portions, the securing means 39 readily fractures and allows the propeller blades 24 to swing rapidly outward. This outward swinging of the propeller blades 24 is given considerable impetus by the explosion of the powder 36, the force of which, of necessity, is directed somewhat outwardly, to blast the propeller blades away from the body of the bow portion l6. Continued outward forcing of the blades 24 results naturally from the stern-down dropping of the bow portion I6. A third force tending to extend the blades is the rotation of the hub '26 by'the motor I9, which is started in synchronism with the explosion. As each propeller blade 24: swings into fully extended or operative position, its short nose 4!) (Fig. 6) adjacent the hinge pin 26 snaps in under a spring-pressed latch 45, which serves to hold the propeller blade 24 in operative or extended position in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the aircraft,

as shown in Fig. 7.

A flange 42 extending from each side of the nose it serves as an extending limit by abutting the yoke 4| (Figs. 7 and 8). This flange and the nose 4|] reside immediately under a lip portion 5!] partially closing the recess 21 from the front (Fig. 6)

.Tocounteract thetendency of thebow-portion lfito rotate, caused, by the rotation ofthe propellen 22, a-pairofstabilizing fins 4% (Fig. are. retractablpmounted-inrecesses in the bow portion, [6; preferably benighinged at- 46,, andbeing thrown outwardly-by a small explosivesquib 41- (Fig. 3). detonated simultaneously with the; sundering of the aircraft. 7 An over-center, folded; arm lilservestomaintain the fins tdin extended positionatter. they, have been thrown outwardly, To further counteract the turning-tendency of the, bow portion Hi, the exhaust from the prop. turbine motor 7 His. directed sternwardlyand tan gentially,v asvshown. atAQinFig. 11,, the. tangential compo.- nents of thajetforoe thus produced'being in a" direction to. counteractthe. rotative tendency of the body. it, due tothe propeller 2-2; The down Ward thrust component from the-exhaustdet 4,3 also-assists. the helicopter propellep 2,2 to check the descent of the bowportion asit drops, as shown Fig. 101,

The. entire cycle of the flight of the aircraft may. be. controlled by. a system shown schematically Fig. 5. In the principal body or stem portion [5. of the aircraft,.atiming or master control 5| is mounted. Suitable connections, such as electrical connections 52 and 53, are made to the explosive'means ll and 36, as shown, sothat at. a predeterminedtime, or upon reception of "a predetermined signal, the powder 36 is ignited to. sunder the aircraft; and the squib 4! is simultaneously. ignited to throw the fins 43 outwardly into operative position on the bow portion [6. Synchronously therewith the prop turbine motor [9,. is setinto operation, by asuitable, electrical connection 54, thereby'causing' the shaft 2| to turn the propeller 22, the propeller blades 24 in the meantime having been severed from the sides of" the stern portion [5.- and thrown outwardly into operative 'positi'on by the explosive force of the powder 36, which also sunderedfthe'aircraft.

Operation Operation of the instant invention will now be summarized. The-complete aircraft asillustrated in-Figt- 1 is: launched, .in any suitable manner, and is propelled through the air by the motor 18. At a predetermined time, or upon reception of a. predetermined signal, the control means 5| (Fig; 5) ignites thesquib 31, which detonates thepowder 36' in; the cavity34di'sposedbetween' thetworings' 3'l and32, thereby blowing these rings apart and fracturin'gjthe' rivetsorpins 33. This 'sunders the two portions 15 and 5' of the, aircraft, as shown inF'ig. 9, the oblique disposition'ofthe juncture I7 between the two portions serving to separate themmore completely;

Simultaneouslywith the severing of the two portions;- the squib" M (Fig. 3) is detonated to throw the fins 43 outward, thereby tendingto stabilize the bow portion I6 as it drops stern downward, as shown in Fig. 9. Also synchronously with the explosion, the prop turbine motor I 9*is 'set into operation to rotate the'propell'er- 22 and to cause thepropeller blades--24; thrown outwardly into operative position (Fig; 7') by the explosion, to rotate in helicopter fashion as shown iii-Fig. 10, thereby checkingthe descent of--the bow-portion 16' and allowing it to drop gentlyt'e earth. The descent is also checked by thejet 70. reaction of the exhaust from the exhaust vents 49 of the prop turbine motor l9, thetangential disposition of theexhau'stwents 49 also servingto' assist the stabilizing fins 43 in resisting the tendency of the bow portion IE to rotate.

Instrur.nents,- ora'war: head, constituting the cargo 55 in the space 23 '(1?-ig .,5-) maybealso selr into operationrwith the sundering of theaircraft, by means of a-suitableeleotrical connection 5.6;,- actuated by: the, timing control 5 i;

It will be noted-that the-ring-like character-of the detachable securing means S and 32:, uniting: the'two portions I-5.- and l6.-= of the aircraft; allows;-

full, and complete' communication between the two portions whilethey are. connected together in; normal flight.

Itv will be readily appreciated that the instant-- Y without the sundering; means by" simply cutting off the main jet propulsion motor 18 and allow-=- ing the craft-to swing-sterndcwnward, whereupon, the helicopter propeller blades-2,4 could be actuated into operative positionand rotated; to.

check-the descent of the-aircraft.- Similarly, the.-

sundering; feature (explosive iifi), it-is obvious,--- couldbe used independently, if desired, without: the helicopter propeller feature, and it is adapta bleto water craft as well as aircraft.

Despite the susceptibility of these two features: to independent use, it-will-be readily apparent that their combination in a commonsaircraft lends itself-to'many. advantages, the" principal being the use of thesundering explosion; to stop the forward travel of the bowportion, to free the,- securing meansholding the propellerbladesat the sideof-t-he craft, and-to blast-theblades outwardly into operativeposition.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the-present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It' is therefore to be: un derstood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention-may be"practicedotherwise than as'specifieally described.

What is: claimed is: 1

1. Aseverableai'rcraft comprising a -stern por tion and a bow" portion-detaohably secured to: gether, jet propulsion means mounted insaidstern 'portionfor propelling-said aircraft thru the air, a propeller rotatably mountedat thenose of saidbow portion, the blades ofsaid propeller being fo-ldable against, the sides of said'bow' portion'a'nd'being'movabl'e into operative position out from said bow'portion as the latter"drops stern down, a motor insaid' bbw portion'con nectjedtosaid propeller to rotate the same in helicopter fashion, the exhaust'from saidjmotor being directed" sternwardl-y' and tangentially so as to counteract the tendency of said bow portion to. rotate due to the helicopter rotation of said propeller, securing means securing. said blades against the sides of said how portion, explosive means at the juncture of said portions. effective upon detonation to sunder-saidaircraft at said juncture and release said securing means,- means for detonating said explosive means. whereby to allow said how portion to dropstern down with =said=propeller and exhaust checking the drop, .andlatch means at the inner endsof said blades effective to secure said blades in extended operative position.

2. A severable aircraft comprising a stern portion and a bow portion detachably secured together, propulsion means mounted insaid stern portion for propelling said aircraft thru the air, a propeller rotatably mounted at the nose of said bow portion, the blades of said propeller being foldable against the sides of said bow portion and being movable into operative position out from said bow portion as the latter drops stern down, a motor in said bow portion connected to said propeller to rotate the same in helicopter fashion, stabilizing fins on said bow portion, the exhaust from said motor being directed sternwardly and tangentially so as to counteract the tendency of said bow portion to rotate due to the helicopter rotation of said propeller, securing means securing said blades against the sides of said bow portion, explosive means at the juncture of said portions effective upon detonation to sunder said aircraft at said juncture and release said securing means, and means for detonating said explosive means whereby to allow said bow portion to drop stern down with said propeller and exhaust checking the drop.

3. A severable aircraft comprising a stern portion and a bow portion detachably secured together, propulsion means mounted in said stern portion for propelling said aircraft thru the air, a propeller rotatably mounted at the nose of said bow portion, the blades of said propeller being foldable against the sides of said bow portion and being movable into operative position out from said bow portion as the latter drops stern down, a motor in said bow portion connected to said propeller to rotate the same in helicopter fashion, the exhaust from said motor being directed sternwardly and tangentially so as to counteract the tendency of said bow portion to rotate due to the helicopter rotation of said propeller, explosive means at the juncture of said portions, and means for detonating said explosive means, thereby to sunder said aircraft at said juncture and allow said bow portion to drop stern downwith said propeller and exhaust checking the drop.

4. A severable aircraft comprising a stern portion and a bow portion detachably secured together, propulsion means mounted in said stern portion for propelling said aircraft thru the air, a propeller rotatably mounted at the nose of said how portion, the blades of said propeller being foldable against the sides of said bow portion and being movable into operative position out from said bow portion as the latter drops stern down, a motor in said bow portion connected to said propeller to rotate the same in helicopter fashion, stabilizing means on said bow portion to counteract the tendency of said bow portion to rotate due to the helicopter rotation of said propeller, explosive means at the juncture of said portions, and means for detonating said explosive means, thereby to sunder said aircraft at said juncture and allow said bow portion to drop stern down with said propeller checking the drop.

5. A severable aircraft comprising a stern portion and a bow portion detachably secured together, propulsion means mounted in said stern portion for propelling said aircraft thru the air, a propeller rotatably mounted at the nose of said bow portion, the blades of said propeller being foldable against the sides of said'bow portion and being movable into operative position out from said bow portion as the latter drops stern down, a motor in said bow portion connected to said propeller to rotate the same in helicopter fashion, stabilizing means on said bow portion to counteract the tendency of said bow portion to rotate, explosive means at the juncture of said portions effective upon detonation to sunder said aircraft at said juncture, and means for detonating said explosive means to allow said bow portion to drop stern down with said propeller checking the drop.

6. A severable aircraft comprising a stern portion and a bow portion detachably secured together, propulsion means mounted in said stern portion for propelling said aircraft thru the air, a propeller rotatably mounted at the nose of said bow portion, the blades of said propeller being foldable against the sides of said bow portion and being movable into operative position out from said bow portion as the latter drops stern down, securing means securing said blades against the sides of said bow portion, stabilizing means on said bow portion to counteract the tendency of said bow portion to rotate, explosive means at the juncture of said portions effective upon detonation to sunder said aircraft at said juncture and release said securing means, and means for detonating said explosive means whereby to allow said bow portion to drop stern down with said propeller checking the drop.

7. A severable aircraft comprising a stern portion and a bow portion detachably secured together, propulsion means mounted in said stern portion for propelling said aircraft thru the air, a propeller rotatably mounted at the nose of said bow portion, the blades of said propeller being foldable against the sides of said bow portion and being movable into operative position out from said bow portion as the latter drops stern down, stabilizing means on said bow portion to counteract the tendency of said bow portion to rotate, explosive means at the juncture of said portions effective upon detonation to sunder said aircraft at said juncture, and means for detonating said explosive means to allow said bow portion to drop stern down with said propeller checking the drop.

8. Sundering apparatus comprising a pair of generally cylindrical bodies abutted coaxially together, a pair of abutting rings, one mounted in each body, a plurality of fracturable pins securing said rings together thereby to hold said bodies together, one of said rings having a groove therearound adjacent the other ring forming an annular cavity between the rings, and explosive material in said cavity.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said rings are disposed obliquely with respect to the axis of said body.

10. Sundering apparatus comprising a pair of bodies abutted together, one of said bodies having a groove therein adjacent the other body forming a cavity between the bodies, explosive material in said cavity, and fracturable pin means passing thru said cavity and securing said bodies together.

11. A severable aircraft comprising a stern portion and a bow portion detachably secured together, propulsion means mounted in said stern portion for propelling said aircraft through the air, a propeller rotatably mounted at the nose of said bow portion, the blades of said propeller being foldable against the sides of said bow portion and being movable into operativepositionout E from said bow portion as the latter drops stern down, a motor in said bow portion connected to said propeller to rotate the same in helicopter fashion, stabilizing means on said bow portion to counteract the tendency of said how portion to rotate due to the helicopter rotation of said propeller, sundering means between said bow portion and said stern portion, explosive means at the juncture of said portions, and means for detonating said explosive means thereby to sunder said aircraft at said juncture and allow said bow portion to drop stern down with said propeller checking the drop, said sundering means comprising a pair of abutting rings, one mounted in each of said portions, a plurality of fracturable pins securing said rings together thereby to hold said portions together, one of said rings having a groove therearound adjacent the 10 other ring forming an annular cavity between the said rings.

ROY J. SCHMID.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,880,579 Tiling Oct. 4, 1932 2,329,414 Nelson Sept. 14, 1943 2,338,322 Ferrer Jan. 4, 1944 2,402,716 Whitsett June 25, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 305,160 Germany Mar. 3, 1920 866,226 France Apr. 15, 1941 

